->"To avoid crucifixion by ''TheWire'' fans, we're obliged to point out that this guy played Stringer Bell."-->--'''Kevin Murphy on Heimdall in the RiffTrax commentary of ''Film/{{Thor}}'''''

Idrissa Akuna "Idris" Elba is an English television, theatre, and film actor born in 1972. A Golden Globe award winner for his role as ''Series/{{Luther}}'', he is also famous for having starred as the sophisticated druglord Stringer Bell in ''Series/TheWire'' and in several big budget Hollywood films such as ''Film/{{Thor}}'', ''Film/{{Prometheus}}'', and ''Film/PacificRim''. He also reprised his role in the ''Thor'' sequel ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld''.

[[HeAlsoDid He's also a musician]], known as DJ Big Driis/Big Driis the Londoner.

* AbilityOverAppearance: In ''Film/{{Thor}}'', most people stopped noticing that Heimdall was being played by a black actor about six femtoseconds into Elba's performance. As Moviebob said, "To those people who asked, "Why cast a black man as a Viking", every scene Elba is in is resounding '''''"THAT IS WHY!"'''''.** No one can imagine anyone but him as Heimdall now.* BadassBaritone* BadassDriver: A one-off BBC special called "Idris Elba: King of Speed" showed he was a fast learner at motorcycle trails riding and rally driving.* ChronicallyKilledActor: A number of his roles involve his character dying by the end.* ComicBookFantasyCasting: [[GreenLantern John Stewart]] is a ''dead ringer'' for him in ''InjusticeGodsAmongUs''.* CreatorBacklash: He went straight from shooting ''Mandela'' to ''Dark World'', including a complicated wire stunt which took a while to do, and Idris wasn't able to get out of the harness between takes. [[http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Here-How-Much-Idris-Elba-Hated-Shooting-Thor-2-68054.html He straight up called the sequence "Torture."]]* FakeAmerican: He can put on an almost flawless East Coast accent. Many fans of ''The Wire'' express surprise when they learn he is from the UK. He also used a fake American Accent in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.** Elba is also very committed to keeping up appearances: He used his American accent for most press appearances related to TheWire, as well as any situations where he interacted with fans.* SoMyKidsCanWatch: He has said he takes roles in films like ''Film/{{Thor}}'' and ''Film/PacificRim'' because his daughter is a big fan of those types of movies.* WhatCouldHaveBeen: He was almost cast as Django in ''Film/DjangoUnchained''.